Knitting machine



Feb. 7, 1933. E, H STEERE 1,896,431

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 4, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l gwuemtotEdward/7. 5726M I Feb. 7, 1933. E H STEE E 1,896,431

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 4, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 far Wardff She/"ah Feb. 7, 1933. E. H. STEERE 3 KNITTING MACHINE Originl FiledDec. 4, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 7, 1933.

E. H. STEERE KNITTING MACHINE Origihal Fi-led Dec. 4, 192 8 4Sheets-Sheet 4 gwyantoz Edward /7 Sfezre;

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE T EDWARD H. s'rEEnn,or nooxwoon, TENNESSEE, AssIGNoR To DIXI E MANUFACTUR- me COMPANY,1110,01 nocxwoon, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION or TENNESSEE KNITTING MACHINEThe present invention relates to an attachment for standard circularhosiery knitting machines, for example the Scott and W11.- liams ModelK, the purpose of the attachment being to control the feeding of thespllcing yarn to the needles so as to securea stocking having a highsplice heel of any preferred design, a double sole, and a toe guard.

It is generally old in the art to provide a knitting machine attachmentcomprislng an auxiliary cam or pattern drum, and a drum followerthroughwhich movement is transmitted to a yarn guide tocontrol the feedof the splicing yarn or thread. My present invention has particularreferencetolthe relative arrangement and coaction of such a drum andfollower and also includes novel mechanism, whereby, as stated above,the toe guard knitting operation may be controlled. In order to makeclear the various phases of the invention, I shall proceed to describe atypical embodiment of the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of astandard type rotary cylinder knitting machine with the attachmentaccording to the present invention shown in operative position.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the attachment and of the cam or patterndrum of the knitting machine.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the attachment.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 6. i

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 0 Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a developed view of the cam drum, and v Figure 8 is a sideelevation of the lower portion of a stocking showing the reinforcedportions as made under the control of the new attachment. I

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, 10 indicates, as awhole, the knitting head of a standard circular hosiery knittingmachine, the machine chosen for the sake of convenience being the Scottand Wil- Renewed August 27, 1932. l

liams Model K. The reference numeral 11 indicates a knitting needle,while at 12 is shown a yarn guide for the splicing yarn, this guidebeing pivotally mounted, and its operating end being yieldingly pulleddownwardly by a spring 13. A thrust rod 141 of the ordinary type, isadapted to control the movements of yarn guide 12gas determined bythrust bar actuating cams disposed on the main pattern drum 15 of theknitting machine. According to the present'invention, the thrust bar 14:has rigidly secured thereto at an appropriate point an arm 16 providedat its free end withv an abutment screw 17. adapted to be retained inadjusted position by. a set screw 18. ill esignated as a whole by thenumeral 20, ig. 2. I The attachment 20, as is most clearly evident fromFigure 2, consists primarily of a frame comprising a horizontal. arm 21,a wall 22 integral with arm 21 at one end thereof and extending at rightangles thereto (see an integral wall 23 also Figures 3 and 4:),extending from the outer extremity of wall The new attachment is 22 atright angles to the latter and in the op-- posite direction from'arm 21,and a wall 24 integral with wall 23, and extending inpar allel relationto wall 22.

Arm 21 has integrally formed thereon a vertically extending boss 25provided with a vertical bore through which passes a vertical rod26supported onthe main machine frame. A set screw 27 engages in athreadedcounterbore of the boss and bears with its inner end against rod 26.tomaintainthe attachment frame in proper relation to its cooperatinginstrumentalities.

Arm 21 is provided with aligned journal bearings 28 and29,which, inturn, are in alignment with a bearing bore formed inthe end of wall 24.A. shaft 30 is disposed in these aligned bearings, and is secured inposition by ineans of a pinion3l and a collar 32 fiX-ed to the shaft onthe opposite sides of bearings 28- and 29, respectively; Pinion. 31 isin engagement with high speedgear 33 of the knitting machine. a

Fixed to shaft 30 by means of an integral collar provided with a radialthreaded bore in which is engaged the set screw 34, is a pattern drum35, Fig. 3. This pattern drum or cam is provided with an axiallyextending peripheral depression bounded by the divergent walls 36 and37, which at their divergent ends are continued for a distance as walls38 and 39, whose faces lie substantially in axial planes of the drum.The depression terminates in walls and 41, which are abruptlycircumfercntially stepped back from walls 38 and 39, and whose faces liesubstantially in axially planes of the drum. Through mechanism to behereinafter described, walls 36 and 37 are adapted to determine theshape of the high splice at the heel of the stocking, walls 38 and 39control the feed of the reinforcing yarn when the foot of the stockingisbeing knitted, and walls 40 and 41 control the knitting of the toeguard. As a matter of convenience, walls 36 and 37 have been illustratedmerely as simplyv divergent, but it is obvious that these walls mayassume various conformations and relations without de parting from thespirit of the invention.

' WVhen the machine is in operation, drum 35 is rotated in the directionof the arrow Fig. 3, through the intermediary of gear 33 and pinion 31,and the relation of these transmission elements is such that the centrallongitudinal line of the drum depression will al' ways lie in a verticalplane passing through the axis of shaft 30 when the rear, centrallongitudinal line of the stocking is reached by the high splice needles.

' J ournalled in walls 22 and 24 in parallel relation with shaft 30 is ascrew shaft 42, this shaft being retained in position by a set collar 43and a ratchet wheel 44 fixed thereto, the collar and wheel beingdisposed just outwardly of walls 22 and 24, respectively. Rotation isadapted to be imparted to ratchet wheel 44 by means of a pawl 45connected by means of a crank pin 46 to a block 47 adjust ably disposedin a diametrically extending recess in the end of shaft 30 and set bymeans of a screw 48, Fig. 1. It is obvious that by this arrangement, theextent of angular movement of ratchet 44 at each rotation of shaft 30may be varied by suitably adjusting block 47 radially of shaft 30. Aspringpressed pawl 45 prevents counter-rotation of the ratchet.

A traveller 49, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, has a smooth bore through whichworm shaft 42 passes. Near one end of traveller 49 is formed an integralarm 50 passing below wall 23 of the frame, and at the outer end of arm50 is an integral, upwardly extending arm 51. 1Vall23 is provided with alongitudinally extending slot 23, Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and through thisslot is passed a bar. 52, which is secured by means ofscrewsto thebodyof traveller 49 and to'arm 51. The bar 52 is thus ided between theupper and lower walls of slot 23', so asto maintain the traveller in aconstant angular position relative to shaft 42. In aligned bores in arm51 and the body of traveller 49 is disposed a sliding pin 53, whoseinner end 54 is so shaped as to be adapted to engage between the threadsof the screw shaft. In a recess 55 in the upper side of pin 53 near itsouter extremity engages the nose 56 of a bell crank lever 57 pivoted inthe upper bifurcated end of arm 51 to oscillate about an axis parallelto the axis of the worm shaft. Pin 53 is provided withtwo serrations onits lower side just to the rear of nose 54, these serrations being sodisposed as to cooperate with a spring pressed detent 58 to yieldinglymaintain pin 53 in either one of two positions. These instrumentalitiesalso serve to prevent rotation of pin 53 if the-latter is of circularcross section, as is the case in the present instance. 7

From the above'descrip'tion, it will be obvious that upon depressingnose 59 of lever 57, pin 53 can be moved from a forward position, inwhich its nose 54 is adapted tov engage between the threads of shaft 42,to a rearward position, in which nose 54 will be entirely withdrawn fromthe influence of the threads. Ineither of the described positions, thepin is yieldingly retained by the spring pressed detent. In order thatan oscillatable bar 60 which runs along the outside of wall 23 beneathpin 53 may not interfere with the reciprocating movements ofthelatter,the lower side of the pin is provided with a recess 53 ofadequate proportions.

In Figure 6, traveller 49 is shown in its normal or initial positionadjacent wall 22, a damping washer 61 separating the two elements. Itwill be noted from this figure that shaft 42 is provided with a reducedportion 42 from which the thread starts, this end of the latterdiverging from a sharp, initial edge 42" tothe normal'thread width. Whenthe traveller is in the described end position, the nose 54 of pin 53lies in its inwardly projected position in the annular recess existingbetween reduced portion 42 and the wall of the traveller bore. The meanswhereby the nose 54 is caused to take its inwardly projected positionwhen the traveller is in what will be termed its left hand limitposition, will be presently described.

The traveller 49 is provided'with an integral vertical projection 62which is most clearly visible in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6. This projectionis provide-d with a bore parallel to the bore which receives shaft 42,and in this bore is disposed a rock shaft 63 to the right hand end ofwhich is rigidly secured a finger 64. The rock shaft is secured againstlongitudinal movement by the finger 64 on the one hand, and by a setcollar 65 onthe other hand. The finger 64 is provided on one side with aguide groove in which is disposed a drum follower designated at 66. Thisdrum follower is preferably composed of two nested L-shaped elements 67and 68 pro vided with longitudinal slots 69 and 70 in their leg portionsthrough which they are adjustably secured in the guideway of finger 64by means of screws 71 and 72. It will be seen that the foot portions ofthe L-shape-d members are adapted to separate away from their line ofcontact (which'is substantially a radial line of drum 35) so as to forma drum following portion proper of variable size.

Journalled in downward extensions 7 3 and 74 of walls 22 and 24, is arock shaft 75, this shaft terminating somewhat to the left of extension7 3 in a chamfered head 76, and to the right of extension 74 in arearwardly and downwardly extending tail 77 (see Fig. 1). Secured toshaft by means of a set screw 78 and bearing against the outer face ofprojection 74, is a block 79. Also secured to the shaft 75 is a block80, this block being positioned in spaced relation to extensions 74 onthe opposite side thereof to block 79, and interposed between block 80and extension 74 is a compression spring 81 which normally yieldinglyholds shaft 75 in the position indicated in Fig. 2. The upper face ofblock 80, at a position laterally removed from shaft 7 5, is providedwith a number of teeth 82 arranged to cooperate with a tooth 83 disposedon the underside of arm 50 of traveller 49. An abutment pin 74, Fig. 1,limits the upward swing of block 79 and thereby insures the properpositioning of teeth 82 relative to tooth 83. Block 79 is normally heldagainst the abutment by the weight of tail 77. Shaft 75 also carries alug 84 which. when the traveller is in the position of Figs. 2 and 6,lies immediately to the left of arm 50 of the traveller and in potentialabutting relation thereto. A lever comprising arms 85 and 86, Figs. 3and 4 is secured to the lower surface of arm 21 by means of a screw 87about which it is adapted to oscillate. In a bearing 88 integral withthe free end of arm 85 is horizontal bore in which is dis posed a pin 89having a head 90 lying normally in close proximity to head 7 6 of shafts75 as may be clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3. A compression spring 91 ofconsiderable strength is interposed between head 90 and arm 85, themovement of pin 89 under the influence of this spring being limited by aset collar 92 secured to the end of the pin opposite head 90. The arm 86has a downward extension 93, F igs. 1 and 2, this extension supporting apin 94 extending clownwardly in position to be engaged and displaced tothe left by a starting cam 95 carried by the main pattern drum 1 5. Anabutment screw 85 cooperates with head 76 to normally hold the pin insuch position.

The oscillatable bar 60 referred to above as extending along the outerface of wall 23 is most clearly shown in Figs. '2and 6. Referring to thelatter figure, it will. be noted that the bar 60 is supported at one endon the short arm of a round angle rod 96. The long arm of this angle rodis squared off on top, and is adapted tobe retained in a bore in wall 22parallel to shaft 42'by means of a set screw 97. Bar 60 is positioned onrod 96 by contact with wall 23 on the one hand, and by means of a setcollar 98 on the end of arm 96 on the other hand. Near its opposite end,bar 60 is provided with a number of teeth 60, these being adapted tocooperate with a tooth 52, Fig. 4, formed by appropriately bevelling aportion of the lower edge of bar 52. The tooth 52' faces in the samedirection as the tooth 83, Fig. 2. To the right hand end of bar 60, Fig.2, is pivoted a. link 100, which extends through an aperture 101 formedin a projecting finger 79 of block 79, and an abutmentcollar 102 issecured to'the lower end of link by means of a set screw 103, Fig. 1.Bar 60 is yieldingly retained in the position indicated in Fig. 2 bymeans of a tension spring 104 interposed between it and a standard 105mounted at the junction .of walls 23 and 24.

In order to interrupt rotation of worm shaft 42 through the intermediaryof the pawl and ratchet, means are provided for throwing the pawl out ofengagement with the ratchetso as to arrest the latter in a predeterminedangular position. Mounted on a downwardly extending bracket 106 of wall24, Fig. 1, is a bell crank lever 107 having a nose 108 on its lower armnormally resting in proximity to the surface of drum 15. To the upperarm of lever 107 is pivoted a finger 109 whose free end is adapted toride on an inner hub of ratchet 44 The upper edge of finger 109 is sorecessed relative to an overlying pin 110 on pawl 45 that uponengagement of nose 108 by an appropriately disposed cam or drum 15 andfinger 109 being thereby drawn to the right, its free end will engagepin 110 and lift the pawl when a pin 44 mounted on the ratchet risesunder and lifts the free end'of the finger. Thus, action of the bellcrank lever merely places finger 109in an operative positionrelative topin 110, and the latter will not be engaged to release the pawl untilthe end of the finger is engaged by pin 44. The result is that uponactuation of'the bell crank lever, ratchet wheel 44 and therewith wormshaft 42 will always be arrested in predetermined angular position. Thisposition is such that the end 42" of the thread will lie immediately inadvance of and in a position to engage nose 54 of pin 53 when the latterhas been displaced to the right of the position shown in Figure 6, in amanner to be presently described. It is also desirable that pawl 45 bedisengageable irrespective of the angular position of ratchet 44, andfor this purpose a two-armed lever 112 is also pivoted to bracket 106,the lower arm of this lever being provided with a nose 113 projecting inthe path of appropriately disposed cams on'the periphery of drum 15. Thefree end of the upper arm of the lever normally lies immediately belowpawl so that when nose 113 islifted, the lever will be swung toimmediately disengage the pawl. The weight of the upper arm of the levernormally holds the latter in the position shownin Figure 1.

- Traveller 49 is normally retained in the illustrated left handposition by means of a tension spring 114 connected at one end to thetraveller by means of a screw 115, and at the other end to the free endof an angle bracket 116 secured to arm 21. Wren the traveller is in thisposition, the follower 66 rests on a full circular portion of drum 35 atthe eX- treme left of thelatter, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 3. Inamanner to be presently described, the traveller is adapted to be movedfrom its left hand position to a right hand position adjacent wall 24,and as it thus moves, the follower movesinto and out of the peripheraldrum depression as the drum rotates. This vibratory movement of thefollower is to be transmitted to thrust bar 14, and for this purpose Iprovide a swinging plate117 mounted on .a shaft 118 j ournalled inupward extensions 119 and 120 of walls 22 and 24. The plate is rigidlyfixed to shaft 118, and bears at one end against e2;- tension 120.Displacement of the shaft and plate in the opposite direction isprevented by a set collar 121. The free margin'of plate 120 overlies andbears on follower 66 throughout the travel ofthe' latter, andconsequently the vibratory movements of the follower induced by itsengagement with the pattern drum will. be directly transmitted intovibratory or oscillatory movements of the plate. These movements aretransmitted to the yarn guide 12 by means of thrust rod 14 through theintermediary of arm 16 and abutment screw 17. which latter rests on theupper surface of the plate. WVhen thrust bar 14 is lifted by a cam onmain drum 15, follower 66 and therewith plate 117 will be lif ed throughthe intermediary of a tension spring 122 which connects a screw 123 inthe rear of finger64 with the traveller body. The right hand projectingend of shaft 118, Fig. 2, is annularly grooved, and in the groove isengaged one end of a tension spring 107. The other end of this spring isengaged with the upper arm of lever 107 to yieldingly maintain thelatter in its above described normal position. v

As the stocking in knitting head 10 approaches the heel portion, thebevelled face of cam 95 on drum 15 strikes pin 94, thus swinging head90, Figs. 2 and 3, and impacting it against the end 76 of-shaft 75, sothat the latter is displaced to the right. Lug 84 being fixed to theshaft partakes in its movement and being positioned behind arm 50 of thetraveller carries the latter with it, thereby bringing nose 54yieldingly (due to spring 91) against the end of the thread of shaft 42.Nose 108 of bell crank lever 107 which has previously been engaged bythe actuating cam 111 of drum 15,is released so that finger 109 whichhas been cooperating with pin 44 to hold pawl 45 out of engagement withratchet 44, moves forward, thereby permitting the pawl to engage androtate the ratchet. Due to the prior positioning of end 42" of thethread of screw shaft 42, the thread immediately engages nose 54, andthe traveller is moved to the right. This travel is continuedintermittently until a V-shaped rein-. forced heel has been completed onthe stocking, and thrust bar 14 has been lifted by a cam 14 on drum 15to permit the knitting of the heel'pocket. At this juncture, thefollower moves beyond the divergent walls 36 and 37 into cooperatingposition with walls 33 and 39, and thereupon end 59 of lever 57 strikesa cam surface 130 formed on a plate 131 adjustably secured to wall 23 bymeans of screws 132. As a result of the enforced movement of lever 57,nose 54 of pin 53 is vithdrawn from engagement with screw shaft 42, sothat the coupling between the latter and the traveller is broken. Priorto the interruption of this coupling, however, tooth 52 of bar 52 haspassed over the first tooth 60 of bar 60, and similarly tooth-83 haspassed over and is engaged by one of the teeth 82', these latter teethbeing held in engagement by the weight of tail 77. Consequently, wh nthe coupling between traveller 49 and shaft 42 is broken, the travelleris held in its advanced position through the engagement of the describedparts.

When thrust bar 14 is now released after the completion of the heelpocket, the reinforced sole is knitted under the control of follower 66,which, as has been'explained, is now positioned so as to cooperatewithwalls 38 and 39 of the drum depression. 7

When the double sole has been completed, a cam 133 on drum 15 abuts pin94 and shaft 75, in the manner described above, is again quicklydisplaced to the right. This time, however, it will be remembered thattooth 83 is engaged by one of the teeth 82 of block 80, which is fixedto shaft 75. Consequently, the traveller partakes in the displacement ofshaft 75, and follower 66 is instantaneously brought into position tocooperate with walls 40 and 41 of the drum depression. This means thatthe double sole will be abruptly expanded to form thetoe guard.

After the toe guard has been completed, a pin 134 projecting from drum15, Figs. 1 and 2, will come under and engage tail 77 to rock shaft 75.During the knitting of the toe guard, the traveller has been retained inits right hand limit position through the engage, ment of tooth 52 withone of the extreme right hand teeth 60. When shaft is rocked as abovedescribed, finger 79 will abut collar 102 of link 100, whereby theend'of bar 60 will be swung downwardly to release teeth 52' and 60.'I-Iereupon the traveller is instantaneously returned to its initialposition by spring 114. As the traveller moves into this position,however, nose 59 of lever 57 will be engaged by a cam surface 135 of aplate 136, adjustably secured'to wall 23 as by screw 137, and as aconsequence pin 52 will be projected inwardly so that the parts willagain be in the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

Screw shaft 42 is still being rotated by pawl 45 engaging ratchet 44. Atany appropriate time before the heel of the next stocking is reached,but preferably at the completion of the welt of thatstocking,;cam 111comes under and lifts nose 108 of lever 107, and shaft 42 is arrested inpredetermined angular position in the manner and for the purpose abovedescribed.

In Figure 8. I have shown the lower portion of a stocking as reinforcedunder the control of my improved device. In this figure, A representsthe high splice heel whose edges, as shown, are somewhat serrated orstepped. In order that these serrations shall be symmetrically disposed,the arrangement of the drive mechanism from shaft 30 to shaft 42 is suchthat the followerwill be advanced only during the period when it isoutside of the drum depression.

If it is desired to knit a narrower heel with more pronounced steps,cams are appropriately arranged on drum 15. for cooperation with thenose 113 of lever 112. By actuating lever 112 as the heel is beingknitted, the follower may be arrested for a desired period at anyposition during its cooperation with walls 36 and 37 of the drumdepression. 13 thus arresting the follower, it is obvious that a numberof courses may be knitted with the high splice bounded by paralleledges. Under these circumstances, the time taken by the machine inknitting the heel pocket will be suflicient to permit the traveller tomove up into cooperating positionrwith walls 38 and 39 so as to be ableto control the knitting of a full width double sole. In Fig. 8, Brepresents the double sole and O y the toe guard.

If it is desired to knit va high splice heel similar in design to thecam depression, but smaller than that which would normally result,follower 66 may be enlarged in the manner which has been describedabove; It will be obvious that if the follower'is enlarged, it willremain in the drum-depression for a shorter period than under normalconditions,

It is to be understood that while I have necessarily, described aspecific embodiment of my invention, I do not intend to be limitedexcept as determined in the following claims.

I claim: 1. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machinehaving a series of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control thefeeding of yarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guideincluding a rotatable drum element having a peripheral depre's sion, adrum follower element adapted to move into and out of said depressionupon rotation of the drum element, said follower element being ofvariable size whereby to vary the period during which it rests in saidde pression, and means for transmitting vibratory movements of thefollower to the yarn guide. p

2. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries ofneedles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding of yarnto the needles, of means for controlling, the yarn guide including arotatable drum element having a'peripheral depression, and a drumfollower element adapted to move into and out of said depression uponrotation of the drum element, said follower element being split on asubstantially radial line of the drum to form two portions relativelyadjustable to vary the period during which the follower element rests insaid depression. V

3. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotatable drum element-having an elongated axially extending peripheralslot of varying circumferential extent, a drum follower element adaptedto move into and out of flie drum element, means for displacing one. ofsaid elements relative to the other in the axial direction of said drumelement, said follower element being of variable size whereby to varythe period during which it rests in said depression at any givenlongitudinal position ofthe latter, and means for transmittingvibratorymovements of the follower to the yarn guide.

4.'In a machine of the class described, a rotating drumhaving aperipheral depression, and a follower therefor, said follower comprisinga pair'of nested substantially L- ially extending shaped members, saidmembers bearing on the drum surface to'be moved in and out of saiddepression upon rotation of the drum, said members being relativelyadjustable to vary the distance between their foot portions, as and forthe purpose described.

5. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotating pattern drum element having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the circumferential extent of said depression be ingabruptly varied at a predetermined longi' tudinal position, a followerelement for the drum, means for moving "one of said elements relativelyslowly relative to the other in the axial direction of the drum to bringthe follower element'and the abruptly varied portion of the drumdepression'into juxtaposition, and means to relatively rapidlyrelatively displace the elements to bring the follower element and saidabruptly varied portion into cooperating relation.-

6. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotating pattern drum element having an axperipheral' depression, thelateral walls of said depression being oppositelycircumferentiallystepped at a predetermined longitudinal position, a follower elementforthe drum, means for moving one of said elements relatively slowlyrelative to the other in the axial direction of the drum to bring thefollower element and the stepped portion of the drum depressions intojuxtaposition, and'means to relatively rapidly relatively displace theelements to bring the follower element and said stepped portion intocooperating relation.

7. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotating pattern drum element having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the circumferential extent of said depression being abruptlyvaried at a predetermined longitudinal position, a follower element forthe drum, screw means for moving one of said elements relative to theother in the axial direction of the drum to bring the follower elementand the abruptly varied portion of the drum depression intojuxtaposition, and a quick-acting motive device adapted to continue therelative movement of the elements independently of said screw means tobring said follower element and said abruptly varied portion'intocooperating relation.

8. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotating pattern drum element having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the circumferential extent of said depression being abruptlyvaried at a predetermined longitudinal position, a follower element forthe drum, screw means for moving one of said elements relative to theother in the axial direction-of the drum to bring the follower elementand theabruptly varied portion of the 'drum depression intojuxtaposition, and an impact device adapted to continue the'relativemovement of thev elementsindependentlyof said screw means toinstantaneously bring said follower element and said abruptly variedportion into cooperating relation. v F

9. Y The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including-arotating pattern drum element having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the lateral walls of said depression being oppositelycircumferentially stepped at a predetermined longitudinal position, afollower element for the drum, screw means for engaging and moving oneof said elements relative to the other in the axial direction of thedrum to bring the follower element and the stepped portion of the drumdepression into juxtaposition, means when the elements reach thedescribed relative" position, and a quick-acting motive device adaptedto continue the relative movement of the elements to bring said followerelement and said stepped portion into cooperating relation.

10. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including arotating-pattern drum element having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the latmeans for disengaging said screw eral walls of saiddepression being oppositemeans when the elements reach the describedrelative position, a quick-acting motive device adapted to continue therelative movement of the elements to bring said follower elementandsaid-stepped portion into cooperating relation, catch means forretaining the elements in the last described position, means forreleasing said catch means, and spring means for returning the elementsto their original relative position.

11. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide includingcooperating pattern drum and drum follower elements relatively movablein the axial direction of the drum element, a screw shaft adapted tomove one of said elements, means for rotating said shaft, a pin on therelatively movable element adapted to cooperate with the thread of saidshaft and means for arresting rotation of said shaft in a predeterminedangular position of the latter with the leading end of its threadslightly to the rear of said pin.

12. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide includingcooperating pattern drum and drum follower elements relatively movablein the axial direction of the drum element, a screw shaft adapted tomove one of said elements, means for rotating said shaft, a pin on therelatively movable element adapted to cooperate with the thread of saidshaft, meansfor arresting rotation of said shaft in a predeterminedangular position of the latter with the leading end of its threadslightly to the rear of said pin, and other means operable to arrestrotation of the shaft irrespective of the angular position of thelatter.

13. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and'a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of a machine attachment for controlling the yarnguide including a pattern drum having an axially extending peripheraldepression, the lateral walls at one end of the depression beingoppositely circumferentially stepped, a follower for cooperation withsaid drum, means for relatively displacing the follower and drum in theaxial direction of the latter and substantially throughout the axialextent of said depression, means for transmit ting to the yarn guidevibratory movements of the follower induced upon drum rotation to effectfeed of the yarn, and means for controlling the relative displacingmovement of the drum and follower to cause the yarn guide to feed for ahigh splice, double sole and toe guard.

14. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of a machine attachment for controlling the yarnguide including a pattern drum having an peripheral depression, the rment of the drum and follower to cause the it yarn guide to feed for ahigh splice, double sole and toe guard. I

15. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide comprisingcooperating pattern drum and drum follower elements relatively movablein the axial direction of the drum element, the follower element beingrelatively light as compared to, the drum element, means for impartingsudden movement to the following element, means for limiting suchmovement, and means for instantaneously returning the last named elementfrom a limit to an initial position. v

16. The combination with a circular hosiery knitting machine having aseries of needles and a yarn guide adapted to control the feeding ofyarn to the needles, of means for controlling the yarn guide including apattern drum revolving in constant transaxial planes, a relatively lightdrum follower bearing against the cam surface to be vibrat ed upon drumrotation, impact means for moving said follower relative to the drum inthe axial direction of the latter, and means for affecting the positionof the yarn guide in dependence upon vibratory movement of the follower.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set by hand.

EDWARD H. STEERE.

